What Oregon’s Drug Treatment Centers Must Do to Encourage Adults to Seek Treatment

At Elite Rehab Placement we pride ourselves on taking as much stress as possible out of the rehab process. It’s hard work to call several different rehab centers and listen to their sales team tell you why they are the best possible option for you. We’ve already done all of the research and work with several high quality centers, all over the nation, that we are intimately familiar with.

Methamphetamine is still Oregon’s number 1 problem. Heroin, prescription opioid pain relievers, cocaine, marijuana, and designer drugs are also on the rise.

While law enforcement agencies continue to work in the apprehension and prosecution of drug traffickers, Oregon’s drug treatment centers are hoping to increase the number of admissions. In 2012, close to 45,000 Oregonians sought treatment at the state’s many addiction treatment centers, down by 14.3 percent from what it posted 5 years earlier in 2007 and 6.6 percent decline from 2011. While the figures are not exactly encouraging, the drug treatment admission rates for Oregon are a lot better than the national average. The major issue, however, is that 31 percent of all treatment admissions were in the 15 to 17 year-old age bracket, followed by those in the 12 to 14 years old at 24 percent and 18 percent for 18-20 year olds. Taken together, 82 out of 100 Oregonians who sought substance abuse treatment were aged 20 years and below. Only 18 percent adults (21 years old and above) ever sought treatment for their addictions.

Methamphetamine abuse make up close to 16 percent of all treatment admissions followed by heroin at 12 percent and other opiates at 6 percent. Marijuana use accounted for 17 percent of all addiction treatment admissions. Additionally, 5.72 percent of Oregonians misuse prescription narcotic analgesics compared to the national rate of 4.57 percent. More than half of these individuals got their prescription painkillers from their friends or relatives for free while 15 percent bought the drugs from their friends or relatives. Close to 20 percent got it from a doctor.

Oregon’s drug rehabilitation facilities have to think of better ways on how to encourage greater participation in its treatment programs. The declining figures in treatment admissions has been the major impetus for addiction center establishments in Oregon to start rebranding their services in an effort to attract more patients. Internet marketing strategies coupled with traditional offline marketing campaigns have all been directed towards the improvement of treatment admissions. Many Oregon drug rehab centers are optimistic that they can turn the data around.

Of particular importance for many of these rehabilitation workers is the increasing number of young people who actively seek drug treatment. It is important to note that more than 55 percent of all addiction treatment admissions were due to illicit drug abuse. This is a cause for optimism among drug rehab facilities in the state. They know that somehow their marketing strategies are working.

The focus now is on getting the older members of the population to seek drug addiction treatment as well. While education worked in encouraging the youth to seek treatment, educating the adult population may require some form of tweaking the content of information dissemination campaign materials. Adults are more practical. If they don’t see the effects of such programs on their lives, it will be meaningless for them.

It is for this reason that Oregon’s drug rehabilitation centers are increasing their collaboration with faith-based and community-based support groups. It is hoped that these community resources will be able to encourage adult members of the population to seek treatment as well.